Beetroot juice improves in overweight and slightly obese men postprandial endothelial function after consumption of a...

Through effects on nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, endothelial function is improved after the intake of beetroot juice-which is rich in inorganic nitrate-, but decreased after the intake of a meal.

The objective of this study was to examine if beetroot juice could counteract the impairment of endothelial function associated with the ingestion of a mixed meal.

Twenty healthy overweight and slightly obese men with a BMI between 28 and 35 kg/m(2) received in random order a mixed meal providing 56.6 g of fat with beetroot juice or a control drink. The beetroot juice (140 mL) provided approximately 500 mg dietary nitrate. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery was measured before and 2 h after meal consumption. Blood was sampled at regular intervals.

Postprandial changes in serum triacylglycerol (TAG) (P = 0.69), plasma glucose (P = 0.84) and insulin (P = 0.67) concentrations were comparable between the meals. After consumption of beetroot juice, the postprandial impairment in FMD following a standardized mixed meal was improved (P = 0.030) compared with the control drink (-0.37 ± 2.92% versus -1.56 ± 2.90%). Following beetroot juice consumption, plasma concentrations of the circulating NO pool were higher at T60, T120, and T240 (P < 0.001 at all time points).

In healthy overweight and slightly obese men a single dose of beetroot juice attenuates the postprandial impairment of FMD following a mixed meal, possibly through increases in plasma NO concentrations.